Essentially, political elections are competitions like any other, and no competition would be complete without a little smack-talking. In the latest ad for FedEx, a couple of candidates casually decide to go negative.

Created by agency BBDO New York, the new ad quietly shows all the resources FedEx has at its disposal through the lens of two political rivals picking up their campaign swag at the same spot. Amid the blizzard of posters, coffee mugs, and lawn signs they’ve requested, the candidates fling barbs at each other through clenched-tooth smiles. It’s an appropriate enough commercial for a year marked by a real campaign and an unreal one.JB